Senior Congress leader and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi Friday led her party MPs in a protest against the Narendra Modi government over an alleged scam in the Rafale deal. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Defence minister AK Antony, Congress MP Ambika Soni as well as other senior party MPs gathered at the Gandhi statue holding placards that read ‘Rafale cover-up out in the open’, ‘Modi corruption exposed’, ‘Rafale scam exposed’ and demanding that it be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. Members of other Opposition parties also joined the protest.

As the House convened at 11 am, Congress MPs caused an uproar in Rajya Sabha saying a debate must be held and that the Rafale deal was the ‘world’s biggest scam’. Vijay Goel, MoS Parliamentary Affairs, said Opposition MPs were raising baseless allegations and if they choose to name the Prime Minister they need to have substantial proof against him.

Earlier in the day, Congress MPs also boycotted a breakfast meeting hosted by Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu reportedly because three bills were passed in the House without any discussion.